Nollywood actor arrested for alleged role in coup plot to topple Tinubu – Report

Nollywood filmmaker and actor Stanley Amandi was arrested alongside military officers accused of planning a violent overthrow of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

Mr Amandi, a director and former chairperson of the Enugu State Chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, was arrested in September 2025.

This is the first time the actor’s alleged role in the alleged coup plot is being made public.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the actor was hired to play the role of a propagandist by the alleged coupists who planned to assassinate top government officials last year.

The officers allegedly planned a violent takeover in which the top government officials were marked for elimination.

Government sources briefed on the plot told this newspaper last year that the alleged plotters planned to assassinate President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, among others.

Military Confirms Investigation

On Monday, the Defence Headquarters confirmed the plan to illegally oust the Tinubu administration, saying the indicted officers will be arraigned before military judicial panels.

In its statement, the Defence Headquarters said the investigation has been completed and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”

According to the military, the investigation was “comprehensive” and conducted in line with established procedures, examining “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.”

The military disclosed that the findings identified “a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” describing such conduct as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”

Initial Arrests and Cover-Up Attempts

Last October, PREMIUM TIMES reported that 16 officers were being investigated for allegedly planning a coup, although the army claimed they were being investigated for “indiscipline and breach of service regulations.”

This newspaper further gathered that more officers and civilians were later arrested in connection with the matter.

Sources familiar with the ongoing investigation said the suspects, including senior military officers, are expected to be tried in both civil courts and military court martials as investigators close in on the alleged plotters.

Military officers among the suspects will first face court martials before possible civil proceedings, while civilians implicated in the alleged plot, including Mr Amandi, will be tried in civil courts.

About the Arrested Filmmaker

Mr Amandi has featured in many Nollywood movies and is known for his work as an actor, production manager and director.

His notable works include “The Album,” where he served as director; “Tiger King,” where he also served as director and produced in 2008; “Cornerstone,” produced in 2019; and “Once Upon a Dream,” in which he appeared as an actor in 2024.

Mr Amandi’s last Instagram post was on 19 September 2025, shortly before his arrest. (Premium Times)